Incredible, Tiny Details in Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Skin Blemishes and Imperfections

In the real world, as much as some people would hate to admit it, nobody’s perfect. And that’s a trait that the teams at Eidos Montreal and Crystal Dynamics have ensured are passed onto the many different characters in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Taking a look at Lara’s loyal companion, Jonah, up close in cutscenes, you’ll notice that his face isn’t some perfectly clear-skinned masterpiece. He’s been through some stuff, and he’s only human.

So he’s got all the usual human things to have. The odd mole above his eyebrow, a couple freckles here and there, bags under his eyes. Jonah generally looks like your typical everyday guy who’s been on a few too many life-endangering adventures. The fact that the developers spent so much time painstakingly detailing characters’ faces for cutscenes and general gameplay is staggering, particularly considering many wouldn’t even notice if Jonah was bright-eyed and had perfect skin.

A UK History graduate, Chris is a firm believer that Bioshock is the pinnacle of video game storytelling. He spends his days playing games, watching TV, or desperately attempting to improve his movie knowledge. You can follow him on Twitter @ChrisJecks, or email him at [email protected]